TARA Project
Trauma, Attachment, Resilience into Action
The TARA Project is a professional education and research partnership between Dublin South Central (DSC), TUSLA, Child and Family Agency and University College Cork.
Project Aim
The overarching aim of this partnership is to integrate trauma-informed practices across the service area of DSC, one Area of TUSLA to support practice in responding to the complex needs of children and their families.
Methodology
The project commenced October 2022. The project will span for 3 years involving two phases.
- Phase 1: The project will involve exploring the effects of Trauma-informed care professional education on practitioner outcomes, (2022-2023).
- Phase 2: The project will examine a number of implementation strategies identified by Phase 1, (2024-2025).
Ethical approval was received from SREC, University College Cork and the Tusla Independent Ethics Committee for Phase One ( 2022-2023).
Project Events
Launch of the TARA project research report: Examining the effects of Graduate Trauma-informed Practice Education on Child Welfare Professionals (2024, March 19, 2024) hosted by ISS21. For a recording of the launch, please email m.scanlon@ucc.ie
The TARA Project Awards Ceremony (2024, February, 9) Aula Maxima, UCC.
Publications
McCormack, L., Campbell, N. and Lotty, M. (2024) 'Trauma in the foster care system: finding positive ways forward in practice', Foster, 2024(15), pp. 54-63. Available at: https://hdl.handle.net/10468/15782
Research Presentations
Lotty, M. & O’Donoghue, M.. (2023, November 7). ‘Putting Resilience back in the headline towards an integrated holistic practice lens for Child and Families Services beyond a trauma centred lens’ Oral paper accepted for the 7th Unity Through Relationship International Annual Conference 2023, Dublin.
Lotty, M. & Hayes, M., (2023, October 27). ‘Examining Professional Education in Trauma-informed Practice for Child Welfare and Protection Services: The Trauma, Attachment, Resilience into Action (TARA) Project’ Oral Paper accepted for the 9th National Child Protection and Welfare Social Work Conference, University College Cork.
Lotty, M. (2023, September 24). ‘Moving from knowing to doing: Supporting Trauma-informed practice in the Irish front-line through TARA (Trauma, Attachment and Resilience into Action).’ Oral paper accepted for the ISPCAN International Congress, Edinburgh.
Funder
This Project is funded by Dublin South Central (DSC), TUSLA, Child and Family Agency
Project Team
Dr Maria Lotty (PI), School of Applied Social Studies (formerly Centre for Adult and Continuing Education) and ISS21, UCC.
Dr Noreen Kearns, Post-Doctoral Researcher
